ICC brings business view to sustainability panel

Joining government representatives, scientists and other stakeholders in Santiago, Chile, ICC participated in the latest meeting of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) International Resource Panel which took place 26-30 May.

Representing businesses worldwide, ICC put forward recommendations to the panel to guide its research that helps countries to understand sustainable natural resources use options without compromising economic growth and human needs.

Opened by meeting co-hosts Marcelo Mena Carrasco, Environment Vice-Minister of Chile and Alicia Barcena, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the meeting aimed to elicit strategic guidance on policy-relevant science as a basis for developing sustainable development policies, gathering together economists and political and social scientists, to provide the political, economic and social aspects of topics from urbanization and greenhouse gas technologies analyzed from a life cycle perspective to the use of metals and a systemic approach to resource use and resource nexus of water, food and energy.

Over 60 participants took part in the meeting including government representatives from China, Columbia, Chile, Kenya, Indonesia, as well as several European governments and the European Commission. They included representatives from infrastructure, energy, international affairs, and environment ministries responsible for overseeing the panel’s work and providing national level and resource priority recommendations. Renowned scientist Ernst Ulrich von Weizsacker and Ashok Khosla also participated in the event as co-chairs of the research panel.

A sustainability dialogue co-hosted by ICC and ICC Chile took place immediately following the panel. The dialogue provided a chance for the world business organization to engage with Chilean members and the business community to discuss global and regional environment and energy trends, as well as national opportunities, challenges towards sustainable economies and ICC’s work programme.

“With national reforms in discussion, the 2014 UN climate conference taking place in Peru, and important forthcoming intergovernmental outcomes on climate and sustainability expected in 2015, the timing was right to explore these topics further and strengthen regional and global cooperation amongst business experts,” said Andrea Bacher, Policy Manager, ICC Commission on Environment, Energy and Green Economy, who briefed participants.

Sergio Guzman of Grupo Vial Abogados said: “The ICC Commission has a lot of information and experience in these areas that are useful for us. It was also a good opportunity to debate on issues such as ‘green’ taxes, land use, climate change and energy projects that are affecting countries in different ways.”

Nicolas Atkinson of Aninat Schwencke & Co said: “Energy Policy in Chile is an essential issue to tackle to green our economy and address today’s – and future – needs. It will be important to include broader legal principles in order to have energy policy frameworks that provide also adequate tools to resolve unintended consequences originally not considered or contemplated.”